I'm not a happy camper right now and thought I would share my recent experience with the ladies of the forum who might use tanning beds.

I have been tanning for quite a few years - I can't stand to be a ghost - LOL! I have been going to the same salon for several years and one of the reasons I have continued to go there is because the place was so clean you could eat off of the floors. Or - so I thought.

I went to tan as usual on Tuesday and used a new tanner/bronzer that I just purchased. I've used other products from Fiji before and have never had a problem. When I got home after tanning, my legs were so itchy I almost scratched them raw. What I saw when I looked at my legs horrified me. There were clusters of raised red bumps on both of my legs and after "investigating further" :wink02:, I found more of them on the undersides of my arms and some on my back. I thought for sure it was the new tanning lotion, but after seeing my doc this morning on an unrelated matter, I learned that what I have is NOT an allergic reaction, but an infection which he strongly feels I obtained from the tanning bed not being properly cleaned and NOT the tanning lotion. While I am sure there are microscopic bacteria that can't be seen with the human eye, a proper cleaning of the bed with an antibacterial spray would greatly lessen the chances of anyone contracting any type of heebie jeebies from an infected person (who should have the decency to stay the hell away from the tanning beds while infected). :mad: He suggested getting an antibiotic OTC cream and applying it to the affected areas for several days and if that doesn't do the trick, he will write me a script for something stronger. I am going to be sure to mention this to the salon owner the next time I go up there to tan. I think I'll also now carry a bottle of antibacterial spray to clean the damned bed myself before I put my body in it.

Ladies - be careful, OK? It isn't fun feeling like there are thousands of ants biting at your arms, legs and back, believe me!

Livinginthe past

05-17-2007, 04:56 PM

I thought Tony H. looked particularly tanned recently - is this just a coincidence or the first clue in a chain of evidence leading to the culprit?

:wink02:

TackleMeBen

05-17-2007, 05:11 PM

HTG

that sounds awful. i hope you get well soon! i have always cleaned my own tanning bed before i lay down in one. the salon i use to go to had teeny boppers that were more concerned on talking on the phone than doing a proper job.

im a beach brat and desert rat whos only lived in california, arizona, and new mexico, where we grew up using coconut oil and baby oil for "sunscreen" and dark skin substitutes for a shirt. :sun:

i always look tanned. :cool:

anyways, whats a tanning bed? :hunch:

PAMillerGrrl83

05-17-2007, 10:18 PM

We have one at home.

ChronoCross

05-17-2007, 10:37 PM

Tanning beds are great.. I Have seen many of women who look like a piece of leather and there skin is just god awful in there many later years of tanning. Keep up the good work. Pretty soon they can just roll the tanners up in a role and melt them together as a tire.

fansince'76

05-17-2007, 10:58 PM

Not a big fan of the fake 'n' bake myself, but I'm not gonna crack on folks who do like it. To each their own.

GBMelBlount

05-17-2007, 11:08 PM

Tanning beds are great.. I Have seen many of women who look like a piece of leather and there skin is just god awful in there many later years of tanning. Keep up the good work. Pretty soon they can just roll the tanners up in a role and melt them together as a tire.

CC . Like anything, It's moderation. We have one at home & the wife uses it just to keep a liitle "warmth" to her look. Anyway, to an earlier post, I think you're OK on the standing bed. Bottom line, sanitize the bed when you're done. So where did you get that manly tan CC? (Ha! Ha! just kiddin) :cheers:

im a beach brat and desert rat whos only lived in california, arizona, and new mexico, where we grew up using coconut oil and baby oil for "sunscreen" and dark skin substitutes for a shirt. :sun:

i always look tanned. :cool:

anyways, whats a tanning bed? :hunch:

Lucky man, I don't have to tell you how my Irish genes fair in the sunlight.

X-Terminator

05-18-2007, 01:08 AM

I thought it was a rash from the lotion when I saw it, but it should have clued me in that it could have been the bed when you said that you'd been using that brand of lotion for years and never had a problem. I was surprised, because that place is pretty nice, but it just goes to show that you can't trust anything these days. I'd be plenty pissed off too, no question about it.

Thankfully I was born with my tan, so I have no need for a tanning bed :wink: :flap:

tony hipchest

05-18-2007, 01:58 AM

Lucky man, I don't have to tell you how my Irish genes fair in the sunlight.lucky indeed. the best was in tucson, where it was so hot (and unbearable to some), there was nothing else to do every day, during the summer, but hang out at the base pool during the 110 degree heat.

unfortunately times have changed and the blonde indian look is no longer "in". i guess thats a good thing considering the initial blistering burn of the season simply used to be looked at as the "base coat".

i dont look forward to the skin cancer issues i may face in the future, and once i decide to quit smoking, and drinking beer, i may actually invest in a bottle of sunscreen. living 45 miles away from where the 1st nuclear bomb was dropped i no longer drink the tap water though :thumbsup: (i hear fallout is a bitch)

HTG- ive spent 4 summers in pittsburgh and the tanning sucks. it always rains and the humidity at 90 degrees is worse than 105 degrees in the desert. if you continue using the salons a can of lysol, or the clorox wipes should do the trick and not make you feel like a janitor up in the joint.

HometownGal

05-18-2007, 01:10 PM

Tanning beds are great.. I Have seen many of women who look like a piece of leather and there skin is just god awful in there many later years of tanning. Keep up the good work. Pretty soon they can just roll the tanners up in a role and melt them together as a tire.

Chrono - if you take care of your skin by properly moisturizing it on a daily basis and especially after tanning, your skin won't leather up like that. I'm in my late 40's and have skin like a 20 year old because I am fanatical about taking care of it.

I'm probably going to have to call my doc on Monday to get a stronger antibiotic cream, as the Polysporin isn't doing much of anything. Thank God it's been cool here in the Burgh the last couple days so that I can wear jeans. If my legs are covered, the itching is barely noticeable.

stillers4me

05-18-2007, 09:28 PM

Oh bummer........ that bites. I always clean my own bed first.....they have a bottle of cleaner in the room. The kids at the desk don't even go in there in between uses so I make sure I clean it before and after. I always use indoor lotion (that makes a big difference....no dryness) and lots of moisturizing lotion all over, too. I'm the same age as you, HTG, and people always guess me to be 10 years younger than I am. I also find that once I get my base tan for the summer, I can use a self tanner for darker color (even though I hate the smell) and be able to cut back then tanning bed sessions a bit. The self tanners don't work at all on me without a real base tan, though. L'Oreal is really good, goes on without streaking and seems to have less of that smell to it.

revefsreleets

05-20-2007, 06:24 PM

Hi Hometowngal. I'm a guy, and I tan. I live in Cleveland, and I hate looking pasty and white as a ghost and I think there is nothing wrong with spending a few bucks if you are too busy to get a little color naturally. But there is no way I'm laying down on any piece of plastic that a billion other people have laid down on before me. Find a Hollywood Tan place. They have stand up booths, so only the soles of your feet share the petri dish of scuz from all the other unwashed masses.

HometownGal

05-20-2007, 07:13 PM

Hi Hometowngal. I'm a guy, and I tan. I live in Cleveland, and I hate looking pasty and white as a ghost and I think there is nothing wrong with spending a few bucks if you are too busy to get a little color naturally. But there is no way I'm laying down on any piece of plastic that a billion other people have laid down on before me. Find a Hollywood Tan place. They have stand up booths, so only the soles of your feet share the petri dish of scuz from all the other unwashed masses.

They have stand-up tanning booths at my gym and I tried them a few times last year. Heat tends to make me sleepy and after almost putting a dent in my forehead from dozing off and falling forward :toofunny:, I went back to the regular beds. Good for you that you tan- there are a lot of guys at the tanning salon I frequent. I know what you mean about stewing in someone else's juices - LOL!

stillers - thanks for the tip on the self-tanner. Even though I can't smell, I remember what some of the tanning lotions and oils smelled like and I didn't like it. I'll definitely have to try the Loreal variety - I buy a lot of their products and have never been disappointed! :cheers:

beSteelmyheart

05-21-2007, 10:59 PM

Ech, that would freak me out! I hope you keep those orifrices covered, if you know what I mean!lol Pucker time!:horror:
Luckily I live in Florida about 10 minutes away from the beach & have started my base tan for the year, along with some quiet down time with mother nature. And it's something to do on Sundays till football season starts.
I've also been thinking of using some kind of self tanner to boost things a little, I'm getting older & don't like to cook like I used to.
I hope you feel better soon!

GBMelBlount

05-21-2007, 11:06 PM

HTG, It's only natural with a shared tanning bed. Thank God you take care of yourself & your skin. In the scheme of things.....incredibly minor. Count your blessings!